THE PLEASING FUNGUS BEETLES. 



545 



1). Head and thorax nearly smooth ; elytra with black crossbars ; length 

 12-15 mm. 1039. fasciata. 



&&. Head and thorax very coarsely and distinctly punctured; elytra each 

 with four black spots; length less than 6 mm. 1041. ulkei. 



*1039 (3216). Megalodacne easciata Fab., Ent. Syst, II, 1798, 511. 



Oblong-ovate. Black, shining; elytra with two reddish crossbars, the 

 basal one irregular in form and enclosing three black spots, one small 

 round, near each humerus, the other large, quadrate behind the scutellum ; 

 the subapical bar narrower and interrupted at suture. Thorax short, trans- 

 verse, very finely and obsoletely punctulate ; sides straight, broadly mar- 

 gined; base with a punctured impression each side. Length 9-15 mm. 



Throughout the State ; common in fungi. February 14-Septem- 

 ber 21. Hibernates with the next in dry rotten wood beneath loose 

 bark. Gregarious at all seasons but especially so in winter. 



*1040 (3217). Megalodacne heeos Say, Journ. 



Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., Ill, 1823, 



196; ibid. II, 125. 

 Resembles fasciata very closely in form and 

 color but much larger. Thorax longer with nar- 

 rower side margins and elytra without rows of 

 punctures. Black spot at scutellum smaller and 

 more nearly enclosed by the red basal crossbar. 

 Length 18-21. (Fig. 204.) 



Frequent throughout the State. February 

 3-December 10. Much less common than 

 fasciata and seldom more than two or three 

 found together. Fig - m x 2 - (°»s ina1 -) 



1041 (3218). Megalodacne ulkei Crotch, Trans, Amer. Ent. Soc, IV, 1873, 

 353. 



Elongate-oval, rather narrowed behind. Head and thorax black, shin- 

 ing ; elytra brownish-red, each with four black spots, one near the humerus, 

 two before the middle, and one, the largest, subapical ; beneath black, the 

 sides of abdomen reddish. Thorax coarsely and sparsely punctate, with a 

 smooth space before the scutellum; elytra with rows of fine but distinct 

 puuctures. Front coxa; widely separated, the presternum forming a broad 

 triangle with distinct margins. Length 5-5.5 mm. 



A prettily marked species of southern range, taken only in Jack- 

 son, Crawford and Posey counties; scarce. April 12-June 7. Oc- 

 curs in dense woods, especially on the fungus Polyporus cuticularis, 

 w T hich is usually found on beech or hickory logs. 



V. Ischyrus Lac. 1842. (Gr., "robust") 



One medium sized species, having the antenna! club 3-jointed 

 and the eyes coarsely granulate, represents this genus in Indiana. 



